The Fulton County Department of Health & Wellness, formerly the Fulton County Health Department, was established in 1952 through legislative action by the State of Georgia; this action merged the City of Atlantaâ€™s Health Department with that of Fulton County and placed all health services under the jurisdiction of Fulton County Government. The Fulton County Department of Health & Wellness is the only public health agency in the State of Georgia that is under the auspices of local government.

Today, services have evolved to include a vast array of programs that provide comprehensive health care for Fulton County citizens. They include both preventive care and treatment in the following areas:

Infectious diseases;

Womenâ€™s and childrenâ€™s health,

Environmental health and,

Other services which include health education, stroke and heart attack prevention programs and refugee screenings.

With a workforce of more than 700 health care professionals and support staff, the Fulton County Department of Health & Wellness is the largest county health department in the State of Georgia, covering a 535 square mile area encompassing approximately 88 percent of the City of Atlanta. Included in its population are richly diverse communities of color, ethnicity and class, and a significantly large uninsured population. The department has 8 health centers, some within the City of Atlanta and others in the surrounding areas of Fulton County. The health centers are easily accessible via public transportation and convenient to a vast majority of clients. Mobile units further increase client access to Health and Wellness services. The department provides services for more than 350,000 visits annually, an average of over 1500 visits per workday.